Weekly High Plains Drought Update - August 24, 2017

Drought improves in North Dakota and Nebraska, but spreads further across Montana

Precipitation was plentiful across the eastern High Plains this week, while it was mostly dry across the western High Plains. Areas of the Dakotas and Nebraska received more than 200 percent of normal precipitation, which improved drought conditions across these areas. Meanwhile, little relief was provided to the west across Montana where precipitation is badly needed, as much of the state received very little precipitation during the past week. The trend of below-normal temperatures continued across the region, with the greatest departures occurring in eastern South Dakota where it was  4-6°F below normal. North Dakota experienced vast improvement in drought conditions due to heavy rainfall. According to the August 22, 2017 U.S. Drought Monitor depiction, most of the exceptional drought (D4) was removed from the state with the exception of the far northwest corner. The area of the state experiencing drought (D1-D4) decreased from 82% to 63% over the past week. Beneficial rainfall also fell across Nebraska and improved drought conditions across the state. Severe drought (D2) was eliminated, and just under 13% of the state was experiencing moderate drought (D1) conditions this past week, compared to nearly 21% the week before. Montana, however, did not get relief this past week and drought spread further across the state. The area in extreme drought (D3) increased to 34% compared to 25% the previous week, and 90% of the state is in drought (D1-D4).

As a result of copious rainfall, corn and soybean conditions improved in the Dakotas this past week. The percent of corn in poor to very poor condition improved from 20% to 17% in North Dakota and from 31% to 27% in South Dakota. For soybeans, 17% of the crop was in poor to very poor condition in North Dakota, which was a 2% improvement from the previous week, while in South Dakota the crop improved from 22% to 20% in poor to very poor condition. However, the rainfall came too late to improve spring wheat conditions in the area. This week, the percent of the spring wheat crop in poor to very poor condition was 75% in South Dakota, 65% in Montana, and 39% in North Dakota. Pasture conditions improved from 72% to 65% poor to very poor in North Dakota, and from 63% to 58% poor to very poor in South Dakota.

The Quantitative Precipitation forecast for the next 7 days indicates over an inch of rain may fall across eastern South Dakota; otherwise, a half inch or less is expected across the rest of the Dakotas, Montana, and Nebraska. The 6-10 day (August 29 - September 2) temperature outlook indicates below-normal temperatures for Kansas, eastern Colorado, much of Nebraska, and the southeastern half of South Dakota. Meanwhile, above-normal temperatures are expected for Montana and much of North Dakota and Wyoming. Precipitation is expected to be below normal for most of the eastern High Plains, with near-normal precipitation anticipated for the western High Plains.